HI-FIVE

Drug awareness information about the five most commonly-used drugs.

Amphetamine is a manufactured chemical, also known as speed and whizz.
Appears as a white/yellowish powder.
It’s a stimulant which can make you feel confident, talkative and energetic.Can cause strain on your heart and make you feel anxious and depressed. Tolerance to amphetamine can build up, so you need to take more to feel the same effect.
It’s a Class B drug. Illegal to have, sell or give away.

Mephedrone, also known as M-cat, bubble, meow-meow, is a manufactured chemical similar to amphetamine.
It’s usually a white or off-white powder found in tablets, capsules or powder form.
It’s a stimulant which can make you feel alert, confident and talkative.
Can cause anxiety, panic attacks, and irregular heartbeat. It raises blood pressure, which can put additional strain on the heart and can become habit-forming.
It’s a Class B drug. Illegal to have, sell or give away.

Cannabis comes from a plant called Cannabis Sativa.
It’s typically smoked, rolled with tobacco in cigarette papers, or using a pipe or bong. It comes in a brown block called hash (the resin scraped from the plant) or its dried flowers, known as grass or weed.
Cannabis makes you feel relaxed, trippy, tired and sleepy. But it can also make you feel edgy, anxious and frightened.
Smoking cannabis mixed with tobacco can cause lung damage and cancer.
It’s a Class B drug. Illegal to have, sell, grow or give away.

Alcohol is a chemical produced by brewing grains or fruits with water, sugar and yeast.
It comes in various forms, such as lager, wine, cider or vodka. The amount of alcohol in a drink is measured in units found on alcohol packaging. Different drinks have different numbers of units.
It slows down your brain, which, in small amounts, can make you feel relaxed and friendly.
Too much alcohol can damage your health and lead to addiction. Drinking large amounts too quickly can result in unconsciousness and sometimes death.
It’s illegal to buy, attempt to buy, or sell alcohol to anyone under 18.

Tobacco is the chopped up leaves of the Nicotiana plant, which are usually rolled into cigarettes.
It’s a stimulant which makes your heart pump faster, increasing your blood pressure.
Tobacco contains nicotine, which is addictive
It contains thousands of chemicals, some of which will increase your chances of developing cancer and heart disease or having a stroke.
Tobacco is legal but illegal to sell or give to anyone under 18.